It is known that various efforts including hydroponic and aeroponic methods have been made to grow plants other than the traditional method of growing in soil. Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient liquid solutions instead of soil. It provides healthier plants that grow faster than those grown in soil. Although in hydroponics the plants are grown in the absence of soil, the roots are maintained in a liquid environment. Consequently, one of the reasons hydroponics is not widely accepted is because of the lack of adequate ventilation at the roots from the continuous presence of water is a major cause of root disease. Also, a continuous liquid environment further invites parasites such as mosquitoes to grow in the liquid environment resulting in increased threats of harmful disease.
To solve these problems, aeroponics methods for growing plants have been developed. Aeroponics is the process of growing plants in an air or mist environment without the use of soil or an aggregate medium. Importantly, aeroponics methods for growing plants are efficient in indoor as well as outdoor environments. When plants are grown using aeroponics methods under a lamp in a flat bed, the plants are at varying distances from the lamp or light source. Thus rotary growing apparatuses in which the plants are rotated about a light source can be used so as to reduce the number of lights needed for each productive square unit of growing area.
Numerous innovations have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to aeroponics method for growing plants. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific purposes to which they address, they would not however, be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,075,785 to Jones discloses a method for growing plants from seeds to commercial maturity, comprising implanting a plant seed within a porous root-permeable shaped support body, moistening the shaped support body until the seed germinates, then periodically feeding the plant by applying hydroponic nutrient solution to the roots and periodically exposing the foliage to actinic radiation.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,181,886 to Bourgoin et al. discloses a hydroponic/aeroponic agricultural unit that features the ability of quickly changing from a small housing into a larger housing by varying the diameter of a drum so that a small drum can act as a nursery for seedlings. A system allows for the rotation of the drum to provide uniform light and liquid nutrients.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,823,328 to Walhovd teaches an aeroponic plant growing system that includes a pump, a water distribution manifold, and water lines used to provide water and nutrients from a water reservoir to sprayers in growing chambers where the water and nutrients are sprayed on the roots of plants growing therein. Non-absorbed water and nutrients are returned to the water reservoir via a filter that supports the colonization of organisms useful for plant growth.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,250,809 to Simmons discloses a self-contained apparatus for aeroponically growing and developing plants that comprises a reservoir for containing a liquid nutrient solution, a conical tower, a power supply, and a pump to move the liquid nutrient solution through the apparatus. Part of the nutrient solution dispersed into the conical tower is absorbed by the exposed root mass and rest un-absorbed liquid nutrient solution is returned to the reservoir to be reused.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,484,890 to Simmons describes an aeroponic growing system comprising a plurality of plant supports comprise a liquid nutrient solution guide to spray nutrients by using a distribution pipe, multiple different sprayers. Each plant support includes at least one opening adapted to retain at least one seed in a seed container.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,505,238 to Luebbers et al. teaches an aeroponic plant growing system with vertically aligned planting sites. The system includes a plurality of plant-holding containers held at 45 degrees to the horizontal, a walled enclosure, and a fluid dispenser housed therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,730,663 to Souvlos et al. discloses a rotary plant growing apparatus has a cylindrical structure consisting of a plurality of baskets in which plants may be grown and rotates such that the baskets are at least partially immersed in nutrient reservoir containing a liquid nutrient for nourishing the plants.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,782,948 to Harwood et al. describes a system and method of aeroponic farming includes depositing seeds in a flat containing micro-fleece cloth and placing the flat within a growth chamber. The upper side of the flat is subjected to light of the proper frequencies to promote growth in plants. A nutrient solution is sprayed onto the micro-fleece cloth and the developing root mass of the plants, while controlling temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide within the growth chamber. The growth chambers can be stacked on each other and/or located side by side to save space within a facility.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,648,811 to Narasipur teaches a system and method for aeroponic plant growth involving closed loops of growing units linked by plumbing sections. Each of the growing units comprises an enclosure containing a submersible pump and a spray manifold, an electronic cyclic sequencer being operatively connected to each of the submersible pumps.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2004/0237396 to Castillo discloses a germination device for the production of sprouts, wherein the device comprises an automatically, time-controllably, and intermittently rotating the container and an intermittently activatable set-up for spray irrigation of seeds placed in the container for germinating the seeds.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2005/0011118 to Umbaugh describes a seed germination and plant supporting utility that is useful in aeroponic growing systems, hydroponic growing systems, and/or for seed germination and initial seedling growth in preparation for planting. It provides a seed germination pod that supports a seedling to full growth after germination. Mesh is held spaced apart by spacer. As a seed deposited on upper mesh develops its first roots during germination, the roots grow through mesh to develop hair roots. This provides firm bedding for the roots at mesh and causes the plant to grow straight towards its light source.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2011/0023359 to Raring teaches an apparatus and method for improving aeroponic horticulture growing efficiency by delivering plant roots with air and liquid nutrients where the liquid is atomized into a cloud of droplets of a small particle size generally under 30 microns diameter, thereby preserving and encouraging root hair growth. The droplets are produced via a sonic nozzle.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2014/0000162 to Blank discloses an aeroponic growing method and system comprising an overhead support to suspend at least one vertical column of interconnected growing pots and a supply conduit that is in fluid communication with a top of the vertical column of interconnected growing pots and a return conduit in fluid communication with a bottom of the vertical column of interconnected growing pots. In addition, a turning mechanism may also be used for rotating the column to achieve uniformity of illumination.
It is apparent that numerous innovations which are adapted to aeroponics methods for growing plants have been developed in the prior art and are adequate for various purposes. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific purposes to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described. Thus a two-stage aeroponic growing system and method, whereby a first stage of growth involves growth of seedlings in a substrate positioned in a cylindrical container while the second stage of growth is stimulated in a sloped container to hold pluralities of cylindrical container in a controlled manner to provide uniform exposure to moisture, nutrients and lights to grow seedlings and plants is therefore needed.